Amazon EKS vs DigitalOcean
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Amazon EKS and DigitalOcean.
Quick Verdict
4.1/5
Amazon EKS
140 reviews
4.1/5
DigitalOcean
413 reviews
Both Amazon EKS and DigitalOcean are equally rated at 4.1/5. Managed Kubernetes service that handles cluster operations, patching, and scaling. For teams running containerized workloads who want to reduce Kubernetes infrastructure overhead. Cloud VPS and managed services platform offering droplets, databases, and app hosting. Built for developers who want straightforward pricing and documentation without enterprise complexity.
 Amazon EKS AWS-managed Kubernetes with automatic control plane patching and scaling | DigitalOcean Simple, predictable cloud infrastructure for developers | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.1 (140 reviews) | 4.1 (413 reviews) |
| Pricing model | paid | paid |
| Starting price | From €73/mo | From €6/mo✓ |
| Best for | Organizations already committed to AWS who need production Kubernetes without managing the control plane infrastructure. | Startups and solo developers building web applications, APIs, and small-scale infrastructure who prioritize simplicity and documentation over enterprise features. |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | — | 1 vCPU |
| RAM | — | 1 GB |
| Storage | — | 25 GB |
| Bandwidth | — | 1 TB/mo |
| SLA uptime | — | 99.99% |
| Data-center count | — | 15 |
| €/vCPU/mo | — | €6.00 |
| €/GB RAM/mo | — | €6.00 |
| Performance | ||
| CPU score (sysbench) | — | 2,200 |
| Disk read (fio) | — | 560 MB/s |
| Disk IOPS (4K random) | — | 8,400 |
| Network out | — | 0.5 Gbps |
| Latency (TTFB) | — | 32 ms |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ✓ | |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ✓ | |
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ✓ | |
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | — | United StatesNetherlandsSingaporeUnited KingdomGermanyCanada+2 |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | managed optionapi accessus datacentereu datacenterapac datacenterterraform provider | free tierhourly billingnvme storageipv6ddos protectionbackups includedsnapshotsmanaged options3 compatibleeu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterterraform providerkubernetes supportprivate networkingapi access |
| Visit Amazon EKS → | Visit DigitalOcean → | |
Amazon EKS
Pros
- + Eliminate control plane management and security patching
- + Integrate natively with AWS IAM, CloudWatch, and VPC networking
- + Choose between EC2 or Fargate for compute without managing nodes
- + Run multi-az clusters with automatic failover
Cons
- - AWS-only solution with vendor lock-in for infrastructure
- - Higher total cost than self-managed Kubernetes due to control plane fees
- - Steeper learning curve if unfamiliar with AWS ecosystem
DigitalOcean
Pros
- + Deploy Droplets in under one minute with streamlined console
- + Access extensive community documentation and tutorials
- + Get transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
- + Manage infrastructure via API, CLI, or web dashboard
Cons
- - Limited geographic presence compared to AWS or Google Cloud
- - Smaller ecosystem of third-party integrations and tools
- - Scaling to enterprise requirements may require migration elsewhere
Stay in the loop
Get weekly updates on the best new AI tools, deals, and comparisons.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.